Italy: government may ignore unions in rush to reform civil service

The new premier Matteo Renzi's government has identified €5bn (£4.13bn) that can be cut from the Italian budget over the next eight months – but it is working to a tight deadline and may not have time to consult labour unions, the Gazzetta del Sud Online reported.

Marianna Madia, minister of public administration, said the government had asked unions to propose alternatives to the plans, which include potential job cuts for thousands of public sector employees.

Union leaders say the government is ignoring dissenting voices in a rush to reform public service.

Wales: value of project to move civil servants out of Cardiff 'uncertain'

The Wales Audit Office said a £90m project to relocate 550 civil service jobs out of Cardiff had met its objectives but the overall value for money was 'uncertain', the BBC reported.

The government spent £86m building government offices in other parts of Wales. The Wales Audit Office report said the alternatives to new builds had only been given limited consideration.

Among the questions debated were: Is the primary purpose of government communications to make public policies and policymakers look good in the press? Is there a difference between government communications and propaganda?

Japan: civil service is in 'bureaucratic paralysis'

Abenomics – the reform programme designed by Japan's prime minister Shinzō Abe – has transformed the country's economy, but its civil service is still labouring with 20th century systems and workplaces, Richard Harries, deputy director of reform, wrote on the Public Leaders Network this week.

Harries said Japan's government buildings lacked energy and the civil service did not have the same focus on "continuous improvement" as Whitehall.

However, government staff in both countries are imbued with a strong public service ethos, he added.